Startup Launches Record Resolution 150Mpixel Sensor

Gpixel Inc., a Changchun, China, startup founded in 2013, has designed and produced the world's highest-resolution CMOS image sensor using the TS18IS manufacturing process technology at the foundry Tower Semiconductor Ltd. in Migdal Haemek, Israel.

Gpixel's 150-megapixel full-frame CMOS image sensor (GMAX3005) has a resolution of 30,000 pixels by 5,000 pixels and is intended for use in the medical, industrial, and scientific imaging markets.

The GMAX3005 is a monochrome CMOS image sensor capable of running at 10 frames per second at full frame, with even higher frame rates achieved in row-windowing mode. It has an electronic rolling shutter. Constructed using wafer-scale production techniques, it has a die size of 167.6mm x 30.1mm, including a 165mm x 27.5mm photon-sensitive area. The GMAX3005 has a 16-bit on-chip ADC with 12-bit effective number of bits, along with 120 LVDS output pairs running at 200 Mbit/s. The sensor consumes less than 2.5 W at full frame rate in full resolution.

The GMAX3005 has a dynamic range of 75.4 dB and quantum efficiency of more than 70% at 550 nm wavelength.

"We chose TowerJazz's CMOS image sensor manufacturing process due to its excellent pixel performance, stitching technology for wafer-scale die size, and its outstanding pixel and process customization capabilities," Xinyang Wang, founder and CEO of Gpixel, said in a press release. "We believe China is on its way to become the biggest market in the world for high-end image sensor products and TowerJazz, as our strategic partner, is critical to our success." Tower Semiconductor trades as TowerJazz.

"Gpixel's GMAX3005 was a first-time success due to Gpixel's design engineers' very high skills and knowledge of CIS design. We believe Gpixel is the most interesting and promising CIS company in China today," said Avi Strum, vice president and general manager of Tower's image sensor business unit.

Gpixel was founded in 2013 by experienced CMOS image sensor designers and semiconductor physicists. The company has filed more than 10 patent applications, covering global shuttering, high dynamic range pixels, and low-power and high-speed ADCs.

Very similar to CMOSIS product except for more pixels which is not that difficult by stitching, I guess.

The peak bandwidth is 24Gbps while the actual useful bandwidth is 18Gbps, wondering what the extra 6Gbps is used for? Lots of LVDS pins! Will they adopt JESD 204B for easier connection with downstream FPGA/DSP?

Interesting, China builds the world's fastest supercomputer then the world's highest resolution image sensor, the list goes on. When may I ask does the US have to get it's F35 fighter manufactured in China? Meanwhile in Australia China is buying up farms by the 1000's of acres to grow food for its burgeoning population which it doesn't have to sell to Autralians forcing them to by food overseas at export prices. Has the world gone mad??